Monday, August 18, 2008

I found this quote on the blog "A Sparrow In The Snow" and it has been very inspiring to me. Go check it out ~ the post I'm linking to was written in July, so be sure to click on her homepage to see her most recent posts. "Unless we are actually disabled or sick, we all should be able to keep a VERY NEAT house."

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

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"...wandering about from house to house..." I think perhaps many women in our time do not think about this verse deeply enough. I know of many ladies who would immediately say, "Oh I'm home all the time! I homeschool, have the littles to care for and gas is so expensive there is no way I could wander from house to house being a busybody!" Well, let's take this verse and really apply it to our lives. Granted, I'm sure there are some women out there who run around from one place to the other neglecting their duties. But, there is another way to be a busybody without ever leaving our house that brings us to the same end.

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I am thankful for the internet. I am thankful for the blogs of other Christian women. They have helped me, uplifted me and I have formed some real friendships from them. They can be a source of needed information, inspiration, and exhortation. It is truly wonderful to have this resource literally at our fingertips.

But it can also be a very large stumbling block. Wife & mother who says she rarely leaves the house ~ how much time do you spend "wandering from house to house" via the internet? How much time to you devote to figuring out which mommy blogger doesn't like another? Following comments on one blog to another to yet another until.....your day is done. Your time is gone.

I think we have all been guilty.

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II Thessalonians 3:11,12

For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

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Have you ever notice that so many of the commandments in the Bible that are given to women revolve around the concepts of quietness (being sober, discreet) and daily work? Ladies, there is a real reason for that!

If we are doing the things we should *and* if we are behaving as we should, there will be no time for busybody activities! No time at all! Whether you are a wife and mother of ten children or a wife with no children at all, if you are properly taking care of the things going on under your roof, you will not have time for the things of foolish women. If you ever do get to the point that every domestic chore in the house is done, then there is time you need to spend in the Word, there is a world full of uplifting and educational books to read, there are needle arts to learn, projects to participate in from your church, the list could go on and on.

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But what if you say ~ I *am* accomplishing my work. No one here is neglected. My house is presentable and the meals are good and hot. What's the problem if I'm working with my ear to my phone or spending every spare minute checking out the blogs and message boards?

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Matthew 12:36,37

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

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Ecclesiastes 12:14

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

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Titus 2:4,5

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

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Granted, if you are accomplishing all of your work on a given day that is a good thing. But, if you are doing it while simultaneously gossiping on the phone or in a pattern of ~ one chore, go read a blog, one chore, go to a message board, one chore, go read more blogs ~ are you really doing it with the quiet and sober spirit that you were commanded by the Lord to have?

Perhaps you spend time reading back and forth between "blog wars" but you never post, never say a word yourself. But think about your time! You laying the time that God gave you to accomplish the duties of your day on the alter of gossip!

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Let's face it ladies, a busybody is not going to make a very good housekeeper. How could she be? It takes time (which is wasted by a busybody spirit), creativity (which requires time & thought), organizational skills (which are not being cultivated while gossiping and running about), and a devoted spirit (not something possessed by a silly, busybody woman.) Our husbands deserve wives that are devoted to the home and all it entails ~ from caring for the children to cooking to decorating to please him to cleaning out the car.

Frankly, if an idle, busybody wife/mom were to go out into the workforce with that same lackadaisical attitude, she would be fired!!

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Let's all make the effort to remember not only what the Lord wants us to do, but *how* He wants us to do it. ~ With a quiet, sober spirit that is dedicated to the task at hand. Perhaps we would all do well (myself included) to put a sticky note at the top of our monitors that says ~ Be quiet and mind your own business.~

Monday, August 4, 2008

There is something to be said for time spent simply "puttering" around the home. Time spent thinking about how to better arrange this corner or how to better store those items. I know for myself, I can take a certain area in my home that is giving my trouble and spend a few days mulling over it until I finally come to the best decision as to the use of the space. In the end, there is always a much better end result than when I hastily just stash something somewhere so that it is "good enough."Making your home a haven...a cozy, special place for your family takes time and thought. It is not a mindless job as some would have everyone believe. It takes planning, decision making skills, patience, and is something that will improve with experience. Here are some things that I like to do during "puttering" time:* Go through my cookbooks and find new recipes to try. If the family likes them, I incorporate them into our regular menus.* Check on the status of the first aid kit. If you are like me, those little store bought ones just don't do. I have a plastic bin that lives under our bathroom sink in a cabinet that holds OTC medicines, bandages of all shapes and sizes, topical first aid creams, hydrocortizone, antibacterial washes, etc. I like to go through it from time to time and see what we are running low on, what is out of date, etc. These items will be added to my list for the next shopping trip.* Clean off surfaces that seem to be magnets for clutter. For me this includes the computer areas, laundry area, and bedside tables. Sometimes these can be overlooked during every day cleaning and will have clutter that needs to be taken care of.* Rearrange things to give different spaces a new look and appeal. Sometimes you can get so used to seeing something that you cease to see it at all. Try to take a few moments every now and again to see different areas of your home with a more critical eye. Dust things off, add a candle or picture, maybe some ivy.* Go through books and movies and see what needs to go and what can be organized in a better way. I try to keep all of my sewing books together, cook books together, gardening together, etc. Sometimes the bookshelves need a little upkeep to stay in order.* Relax, sew or read with a cup of tea of coffee. As I have said many times before, take your time! Homes do not turn into havens of quiet pleasures without much thought, patience and time. Remember, it does not all have to be done in one day. Take your time and do a quality job of all the things you do each day. Before you know it, your home will start to become the haven you want it to be.Blessings as you attend to the quiet pleasures of your home~**~**~**

Some online places I frequent

The thoughts and ideas I present here are my own. These are my words and I stand behind them. If you do not agree with my thoughts and feelings, that is fine. You are well within your rights to do so. Just as I am well within my rights to not allow any cynicism or spitefulness on my blog in the form of comments. I would not allow someone to come to my home and disrespect me or my family. Neither will I allow it here. These are *my* words. I stand behind them.